Safety device for elevators.



PATBNTED PEB. 21, 1905.

T. W. JENKINS. SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEBA. 1904.

PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

T. W. JENKINS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

5 E w-SEBT 2.

No. '7a-3,205. PATENTED EEE. 21, 1905. T. W. JENKINS.

SAFETY DEVICE EOE ELEVATOES.

APPLICATION FILED PEBA. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SPIEB'IZS.

lwenlfoz @5v Zay No. 783,205. PATENTED IEB. 21, 1905. T. W. JENKINS.

SAFETY DEVICE POR ELEVATORS. APPLICATION FILED IEB.4. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PATENTED PEB.- 21, 1905.

T. W. JENKINS. SAFETY DEVICE POR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEBA. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT EETcE.

THOMAS 17V. JENKINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,205, dated February 21, 1905.

Application led February 4, 1904. Serial No. 191,931.

To all whon it N71/ty concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. JENKINS, a citizen of the United Statesf, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification. c

This invention relates more particularly to apparatus for increasing the safety of travel on passenger-elevators in one or more of the following ways-*that is to say first, by making the unlatching of a door on the elevator-car or at a landing dependent upon the presence of the car at a landing; second, by making the opening of a door dependent upon the position of the controller by which the car is stopped and started; third, by locking the controller when a door is opened; fourth, by making the operation of the controller dependent upon the closure of a door. Some of the parts, improvements, or combinations composing the invention may, however, be found useful in other relations in or outside of -elevators, and each of them is intended to be secured for all the uses to which it may be adapted with or without modification.

It is more important ordinarily that a landing-door rather than a door on the elevatorcar should have its opening and closure guarded, and in the following' description a landingdoor only will be referred to, leaving it to be understood that it is intended to cover the application of the same or substantially similar mechanism to a car-door or a landing-door and a car-door with the necessary transpositions and additions, which, in view of the said description and the prior state of the art, will be sufliciently obvious to the skilled reader. The door may be opened and closed manually or pneumatically or through any form of power; but it will suffice to describe the invention in connection with a manually-operated door,l which is the most common arrangement. From such description the application of the new or improved safety devices to doors opening and closing by other power will be sufliciently obvious.

By the term ilatch herein is intended a another permits a door to be opened. The term includes, therefore, such a device as a valve for controlling the flow of compressed air into the cylinder of a pneumatic dooropening mechanism. It will suflice to exhibit the latch as a removable stop in the path of the door or of a device moving with the door. Such form of latch is that which it is expected to empldy, although, as just indicated, other forms are not excluded. The term lock is applied to a device which in one position prevents and in another permits the movement of the controller to start and stop the car. It can be varied greatly as to its form, construction, and arrangement. In fact,various forms are known. It will sufiice to exhibit it in the form of a dog engaging a lever or wheel on the car, the same being probably in most cases the best of the known forms of controllerlock. The words latch and lock are in themselves so similar in meaning that either of them might be applied to the device for preventing or permittingl the movement indifferently of the door or the controller; but for greater precision the terms Hlatch, latching, unlatching, and the like will be employed in this specification with reference to the door only7 and not to the controller, while the terms lockf locking unlocking and the'like will be applied to the controller only and not to theV door. lThe term controller is applied only to mechanism through which the movement of the car is stopped and started. The term gap signifies the space or clearance which necessarily exists between the elevator-car and the elevator-shaft, and which may vary in width in different elevators or at different times and with different loadings in the same elevator.

In accordance with the present invention a latch and a lock are combined with operating mechanism which-is composed of two or more sets of cooperating pieces, each set including a reciprocatory cam-shaped piece on one side the gap and a cooperating piece on the other' and being governed in common with the other set by one or more of the movable appliances manipulated in running the elevator-namely, by the door or by the controller or by the joint device which in one position prevents and in l action of the door and the controller. By this IOO ' forms is governed by the controller only.

system interdependence of operation is secured in a manner not to distract the attention of the attendant from his duty of running the car, while proper working of the safety devices is allowed notwithstanding that a door should accidentally be left open.` It will be understood that governance by movable appliances common to both sets of cooperating reciprocatory devices does not exclude the use of a governing appliance peculiar to one set if there is also an appliance common to both. In fact, in some of the hereinafter-described forms of the new or improved safety devices -the lock is governed by thejoint action of the door and the controller, while the latch in such In others the lock and latch are both governed by the joint action of the door and the controller and other arrangements are not eX- cluded. Also in accordance with the invention lock-operating and latch-'operating mechanism is employed which includes two horizontally reciprocatory `pieces each unovable transversely to the doors movement in cooperation with a piece o'n the other side of the gap and each operatively connected below the car-floor with the lower end of an upright vertically-movable bar. There may be upright vertically-movable bars appropriate to the said horizontally-reciprocatory pieces, respectivel y, or the latter may be connected with the same bar or bars. Both forms of the invention are hereinafter described. 1t is an additional advantage and special improvement to operate the latch by the aid of a rockshaft mounted under the car-floor parallel with the doors movement and connected with the corresponding reciprocatory piece and upright bar. This piece might be an arm of the rock-shaft; but it is best constituted by a separate piece` which is joined to such arm and reciprocates in a straight or approximately straight line. Moreover, this disposition of rock-shaft could be used otherwise than in connection withthe upright bar without eX- ceeding the limits of the invention.

While the use of two horizontally-reciprocatory pieces movable 'transversely to the doors movement, as aforesaid, and the use of a latch-operating rock-shaft parallel to the doors movement are improvements and are one or both made essential in appropriate clauses of claim, neither of them is essential to other clauses, and one form of the new or improved safety devices is hereinafter described, (with reference to Figure 18,) in which a transversely-disposed latch-operating roekshaft is employed and in which also there is only one horizontally reciprocatory piece movable transversely to the doors movement in cooperation with a piece on the other side of the gap, the horizontally reciprocatory piece which acts across the gap to operate the latch being movable parallel with the doors movement. Further, in accordance with the invention a lock (with or without a latch) and a controller which resists locking unless in mid-position are combined with lock-operating mechanism which includes both a reciprocatory cam-shaped piece operating across the gap and a yielding means of connection through which the locking motionis transmitted. If, therefore, a door should by any chance be left open, the said cam-shaped piece will automatically be brought into action when the car reaches the corresponding landing, and if the controller should not be in mid-position therewould be danger of breakage were it not for the yielding connection. This is sufiieiently stiff to transmit the locking motion; but it yields before breakage can occur.

Still further, in accordance with the inventionl use is madev of one or more storedpower motors for operating the latch through mechanism which acts across the gap and which is more particularly although not exel usivel y such as hereinbefo re set forth. Such use of stored power is believed to be new broadly. The stored power may be that of a normally retracted spring, or it may be liuidpressure, or it may be other form of force. The use of stored power has several advantages, especially when the latch-operating mechanism is governed by the movable appliances (namely, the door and controller, either or both) which have to be manipulated in running the elevator, because only a `limited movement of these appliances can be allowed for such governance and because, `further, the effectiveness of this limited movement is liable to be further diminished by variations in the horizontal distance between the car and the landing'. ltV might be supposed that this distance would be constant; but, in fact, it varies suiiiciently to make difficulty. The crowding together of passengers near the doorway of the car is liable, es-

IOO

pecially when the load is heavy, to swing the l `latter application of stored poweris not so broadly new as is the application thereof to unlatching; but the invention includes, broadly, the combination of a stored-power motor with lock-operating mechanism which both acts across the gap and is controlled by the joint action of the door and the controller. A stored-power motor in either connection is not essential to all the claims, and the new and improved safety devices are hereinafter described in some forms with and in others without a stored-power motor or motors.

The invention also comprises all and several the hereinafter-specified parts, improvements, and combinations.

lIO

IIS

The devices, with their operating mechanism and governing appliances, may be modified indefinitely, so long' as the substance of any one or more of the hereinafter-written claims is taken.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section and elevation of an elevator provided with the new or improved safety devices in a form in which the latch-operating' and lock-operating mechanisms are each governed by the joint action of the door and the controller through two stored motors, one on the elevator-shaft and one on the car, the view being in a plane parallel with that of the landing-door and being taken inside the car looking toward the landing-door with the car-iioor above the landing-floor. Fig. 2 is a detail view in section of the stored-power motor connected with one of the upright vertically-movable bars. Fig. 3 is a view of a modification in the connection between the said motor and the uprightvertically-movable bar. Fig'. L is a detail view in section of the valve for said stored-power motor. Figs. 5 and 6 are views in plan and horizontal section and in elevation and'vertical section, respectively, of the elevator of Fig. 1, the vertical section being in a plane at rig'ht angles to that of Fig. 1. Figs. 7 and 8 are views illustrating other forms of the new and improved safety devices operating by the aid of a stored-power motor. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing a form of yielding connection applicable to the mechanisms of Figs. 7 and 8. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are views corresponding' with Figs. 1, 5, and 6, respectively, of a form of the new and improved safety devices operating' without the aid of a stored-power motor. Fig. 13 is a View in plan and horizontal section below the plane of Fig. 11. Figs. 11i, 15, and 16 are views corresponding with Figs. 1, 5, and 6, respectively, of another form operating without the aid of a stored-power motor. the same corresponding with Fig. 13. Fig. 18 is a view corresponding with Fig. 1 of another form of the safety devices operating withthc aid of stored-power motors; and Figs. 19 and 20 are views in elevation and in horizontal section, respectively, of a form of latch which without further changes can replace that of Figs. 1, and 6, 12, 13, and 14 t0 17.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the car t travels vertically in the elevator-shaft L in any ordinary or suitable way. It is stopped and started by suitable controlling mechanism, which is represented by the wheel c, herein referred to as the controllen Such a wheel isa common appliance in elevators. /Vhen turned in one direction from its mid-position, it starts the car t upward. When turned therefrom in the other direction, it starts the car downward, and when in mid-position it stops the car. Or-

Fig'. 17 is a view of dinaril y the stoppages would be made at a land'- ing, as (Z, where there is a door e in the elevatorshaftb to permit or to prevent the entrance and exit of passengers, according as the door may be open or closed. The door is shown as a sliding door (as commonly called) which moves in its own plane and is suspended by hangers f, which have rollers running on the stationary track y, as customary in elevators. The door when closed is held by means of a latch t, formed, as shown, bythe upper end of a cam-shaped reciprocatory piece j. hinged at its lower end to a base-plate /t' on the wall of the elevator-shaft and pressed outward from said wall by a spring Z. The latch 71. constitutes a movable stop in the path of the device m, which moves with the door. The latch and the reciprocatory piece which carries it move transversely to the movement of the door. To aid in supporting the latch against an attempt to open the door when latched, a lateral bearing' fn. is provided for the reciprocatory piece y'. When the latch t is removed from the path of the device m by pressing' the piece j' towards the supporting-wall, the door is free to be opened by moving' it to the left in Fig. 1. The device m is carried by ahori- Zontal `bar j), which is fastened to the door by suspension-bars at the front and rear edges, respectively, of the door. The bar q at the rear edge of the door moves between supportingplates fr. The latter form a new or improved means for holding and guiding the door at the bottom. The horizontal barp has its left-hand end bent (see Fig'. 13 also) to form an incline or cam which acts upon and is acted upon by a spring-pressed plate s, hinged at the bottom to the base-plate and provided at the top with an antifriction-roller, shown asa ball turning in a socket on the plate l/Vhen the door is moved to the left, the incline or camface of the bar p during the [irst part of the doors movement forces the plate s away from the supporting-wall transversely to the doors movement. l/Vhen the door is moved to the right, the pressure of thev roller of plate .s against the cam-bar 7 1 tends to move the door during' the latter part of its motion, and if it should be not quite closed the said pressure would complete the closure. For operating the latch there on the car t a reciprocatory piece t, which acts across the gap. Itis moved out in order to withdraw the latch /Lfrom the path of the device fm, and it is moved in in order to leave the latch free to place itself in the path of deviccm. Should the piece tbe moved out before the car arrives at a landing, the

vcam shape of the cooperating reciprocatory piece j' on the other side of the gap would enable it to operate to displace the latch /t from the path of the device m. The reciprocatory piece t is connected with an arm of the rockshaft fz), mounted under the car-floor parallel with the movement of the door Another arm of the rock-shaft v is connected with the lower end of an uprightvertically-movable bar w, which is lifted on occasion by the aid of a stored-power motor provided the controller c is in mid-position. Then it is in mid-position, a notch or cut-away portion .e in a stop device or disk 2 on the controller lies directly over the upper end of the upright bar w and is adapted to receive the same. In other positions the stop device 2 resists the rise of the bar w, and consequently also the motion of rock-shaft fu and reciprocatory piece t. The stored power of the motor x, as shown, (see Fig. 2) is that of a normally retracted spring 3. When this is allowed to act, it tends to raise bar fw. It is held retracted by a vacuum in the collapsing-chamber below the bar. One wall of this chamber is formed of a flexible sheet 4. It may be of india-rubber, which is fastened at the center to the lower end of the bar w and at the edges to the baseplate 5. Then the air is withdrawn from the chamber, the bar w' is forced down against the pressure of the motor-spring 3. To protect the sheet 4; of the collapsing-chamber, it is placed under the metal cap 6, and there is a flange or plate 7 on the lower end of the bar w of greater diameter than the hole in the cap 6. In Fig. 3 the bar w is separate from the plate 7, which has a pin -8, which'projects through the hole in the cap 6. A light spring 9 tends to hold down the bar w, although the weight of the bar might suflice by itself. For withdrawing the air from the collapsing-chamber there is a pipe connection 10 between the same'and the cylinder 11, in which a vacuum is constantly maintained by the exhaust-pump 12. A portion of this pipe connection is flexible to allow the end which is attached thereto to rise and fall with the car. Included in the pipe connection on the car is a th ree-way valve 13, (see Fig. 1,) two .of the ways being part of the pipe connection l() and thc third way 14 being' open to the atmosphere. The valveplug 15is normally in the position shown in Fig. 4, which establishes communication between the collapsing-chamber of the storedpower motor w and the vacuum-cylinder 11. When it is turned, itopens communication between the collapsing-chamber and the atmosphere, whereupon the air enters said chamber, which is immediately expanded by the spring 3. The valve-plug l'is provided with a lever-arm, which'is connected with a reciprocatory rod 16, held by spring 17 in the position corresponding with the normal position of the valve-plug. The reciprocatory springheld rod 18 is supported in bearings in one arm ofa lever 19, whose other arm is acted upon by a laterally-projecting foot 2O on the lower end of an upright vertically-movable bar 21 inside the bar fw. Normally the rod 18 is dropped and the bar 21 raised; but when the controller c is brought to mid-position the cam 22 thereon acts upon the upper end of the bar 21 to depress the same and to raise catory piece 24, which cooperates across the gap with a reciprocatory piece 25. This latter is advanced and retracted in a direction transverse to the movement of the door e by a stored-power motor 26, mounted below the door on or in the wall of the elevatoreshaft.

The portion of the reciprocatory piece 24 which is directly opposite the piece 25 is camshaped, (see Fig. 6,) so that if the latter piece should be projected in advance of the arrival of the car at a landing the former will be operated by the movement of the cam-shaped portion over and in contact with the piece 25. The construction of the motor 26 is as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and hereinbefore described with reference thereto. lt is provided with a pipe connection 27, leading to the vacuumcylinder 11. The three-way valve 28 (of the construction shown in Fig. 11 and already'described) is placed in the pipe connection. It is governed by the arm 29, carried by the door e and provided with a roller engaging a fork 30 on the plug of the valve 28. Normally the valve (valve-plug) is in the position shown in Fig. 4, and the piece 25 is consequently retracted. lV hen the door is moved tothe left, its first movement shifts the valveplug to break the vacuum in` the collapsing chamber of the motor 26, whereupon the motor-spring projects the piece 25. At the same time the fork 30 is turned so that the roller may pass out to the left with the door. This lirst movement of the door is permitted while the door is still under the control of the latch la, because the device m' so set to be separated from the latch /z by a suitable distance when the door is completely closed. In orl der that the lirst movement of the door should not leave an opening, the cover-strip 31 may be provided, as shown. The. lock for the controller c is formed, as shown, byl a dog 32, (at the upper end of the bar l20,) which engages the notch .e in the stop device or disk 2 on the controller whenever the bar w is raised with the controller in mid-position. At other timestthe bar w would be held down by the opposing surface of the stop device. The bar fw, as shown, has two functions: It prevents the operation of the latch unless the controller is vin mid-position. troller is in mid-position, it locks the same. The two functions are shown as performed by the same part; but they are distinct. The dog B2 when occupying the notch locks (or, in other words, prevents the rotation of) the controller c. The stop device or disk 2 prevents the longitudinal movement of the bar w and consequent operation of the latch-op- If operated when the con- IOO IlO

erating piece t eXcept when the cut-away portion z is above said bar.

The operation of the mechanism as a whole is as follows: Normally the door is completely closed, being so held by the spring-pressed plate s, acting upon the cam-bar p, and the three-way valves 13 and 28 are in the vacuum-making position of Fig. 4. The latch it lies in the path of the device m, but separated therefrom by a certain interval. The reciprocatory pieces 25 and z5 are retracted, the upright bar w is lowered, and the upright bar 21 is raised. Thus the controller c is free to be moved, While the door e can only be moved so far as to bring the device m against the latch t, and this movement (which is not sufiicient to open the door substantially, if at all) is resisted by the spring-pressed plate s, which would return the door to the completely-closed position so soon as released. AssumingI that the car reaches a landing at which a stop is to be made, the controller cis brought to the mid-position. The effect of this is without other care on thepart of the attendant for the cam 22 to depress the bar 21, and thus to raise the rod 18 into alinement with the rods 23 and 16 and for the notch .e to be brought directly over the dog 32 on the upper end of the har w. rlhe attendant then opens the door e by moving it to the left.

rI he first movement of the door shifts valve 28 so as to break the vacuum of motor 26, whereupon the motor-spring immediately projects the piece 25, which acts across the gap to press in the piece 24, and with itthe rods 23, 18, and 16. The motion of the rod 16 shifts the valve 13 so as to break the vacuum of motor fr, whereupon the vmotor-spring 3 lifts the upright bar w, engaging the dog 32 in the notch .e to lock the controller c and rocking the shaft c in the direction to project the piece t, which acts across the gap upon the piece j, and so withdraws the latch /z from the path of the device my. The attendant can therefore open the door to receive or to discharge passengers; but he cannot while the door is open move the controller cto start the car. Then he closes the door, the device m passes the latch /1/ and then the arm 29 engages the fork 30 and shifts the valve 28 so v as to restore the vacuum in the collapsing chamber of motor 26, whereupon the piece 25 is retracted, the rods 23, 18, and 16 are advanced by their respective springs, thc valve 13 is turned so as to restore the vacuum in the collapsing chamber of the motor the bar fw is lowered, and the rock-shaft c is turned in the direction to withdraw the piece t, and so to allow the spring Z to place the latch tin the path of the device m. The attendant can now revolve the controller c to start the car up or down, as the case may be, according to the direction in which the controller may be turned. The cam 22 being thus withdrawn from its position above the bar 21, this latter 'Vice m.

is raised by the weight ofthe rod 18, (or an appropriate spring,) and the rod 18 falls out of line with the rods 23 and 16. Should the door at any landing be moved by accident or design so far as Vto turn the valve 28, the piece 25 will be projected, whether the car is at the landing or not. and if notwithstanding the tendency of the pressure of the plate s to restore the door to the completely-closed position the piece 25 should stand projected at the time of the cars passing'l no harm results, for the cam shape of the piece 24 causes it to be pressed back by the piece 25, (or to press back the piece 25 if piece 24 should for any reason not yield.) 1f at this junctu re the controller c should not be in mid-position, the rod 18 will be out of line, and the rod 16 and valve 13 and motor m will not be affected. Even if they should be moved vet if the notch .e should not be directly above the dog 32 the bar fw would be held down by the disk 2 and no motion would be imparted to the rock-shaft c. Should the attendant be intending to stop at that landing, however, the dog 32 would snap into the notch .e so soon as the controller should be brought exactly in mid-position, whereupon the rockshaft e would be turned so as to project the piecet and withdraw the latch /t from the path of the device m. Should the controller be in mid-position, in order to stop the car at the time the car reaches a landing at which the door has been moved so as to project the piece 25, the piece 24, the rods 23 and 18 and 16 and the valve 13 would be shifted, and the motor a would be operated to lift the bar w, and so lock the controller, and to turn the rock-shaft c, and so project the piece t and withdraw the latch /t from the path of the de- Should the piece 25 at any time happen to be projected in advance of the arrival of the car at a landing, the cam shape of the latch-operating piece ,7' enables the said piece to push in the piece j, and so to pass without damage.

In Fig. 7 the mechanism on the car includes the two reciprocatory piecestand 24 on the car for cooperating across the gap with the respective recijirocato'ry pieces j and 25 on the elevator-sl'iaft, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6. The controller c, as in these figures, is provided with a cam 22 for governing the upright vertically-movable bar 21,and a stop device or disk 2, notched at lnStead, however, of governing the latch by the joint operation of the door e and the controller c itis governed by the latter alone. The bar 21 is connected at its lower end with a lever-arm 33 for turning the plug of the three-way valve 34, which is constructed as shown in Fig. 4 for the valve 13 and described above with reference thereto. A spring 35 (spiral tension-spring, as shown) holds up the bar 21. rllhe motor 36, which is constructed as shown in 2 and described with reference thereto, has its vacuum broken and4 restored according to the IOO lconnected with the upright bar w.

position of the valve 34. The reciprocatory piece t is projected and retracted directly b y the motor 36. The reciprocatory piece 24 is connected by the link 37 with the vertical arm of a rock-shaft 38, a horizontal arm of which is connected with the lower end of the upright vertically-movable bar w. A spiral tensionspring 42 is shown for aiding the return of bar wand rock-shaft 38 and reciprocatory piece 24 when the infiuence of the piece 25 is withdrawn. Assuming the car to be at a landing at which a stop is to be made, the ele'- vator attendant brings the controller c to the mid-position in order to stop the car, and in so doing' depresses the bar 21 and shifts the valve 34 so as to break the vacuum in the motor 36, whose spring (same as spring 3 of Fig. 2) thereupon projects the piece across the gap against the piece y', Figs. 1 to 6, to withdraw the latch /zv from the path of the device m. The attendant then opens the door and in so doing shifts the valve 28 into position to break the vacuum of motor 26, whose spring thereupon projects the piece 25 across the gap and forces inward the piece 24 and link 37. The link 37 turns the rock-shaft 38 and raises the upright bar w so that the dog 32 at its upper end enters the notch .2', and thereby locks the controller. Then the attendant wishes to start the elevator, he must irst close the door. In so doing he shifts the valve 28 so as to reestablish a vacuum in the motor 26, whereupon the piece 25 is retracted and the dog 32 is removed from notch e, thus allowing the controllerV to be turned. The act of turning the controller to start the car removes the cam 22 from its position above the upright bar 21, which at once rises, and in rising turns the valve 24 so as to reestablish a vacuum in the motor 36, and thus retract the piece t and allow the latch to place itself in the path of the device m.

With the arrangement of Fig. 7, inasmuch as the latch therein is governed only by the controller and not by the door, the latter need have no free movement while under the control of the latch, or, in other words, with the arrangement of Fig. 7 when the door is fully closed there may or may not be a space between the latch /L and the device m.

In Fig. 8 the lock is operated, as in Fig. 7,

by the link 37 and rock-shaft 38 and upright bar w, and the latch-operating piece vt is shifted directly by the motor 36; but the latch is governed, like the lock, by the joint action ofthe door e (having a suitable movement while under the latch) and of the controller c, the valve 34 for the motor 36 having its lever-arm 33 Assuming the car to be at a landing at which'a stop is to be made, the elevator attendant brings the controller c to the mid-position in order to stop the car. He then opens the door The iirst movement of the door to the left shifts the valve 28, which breaks the vacuum of the motor 26, Figs. 1. to 6, and allows the latter to project the piece 25. This latter acts across the gap and presses back the piece 24 and link 37, which turns the rock-shaft 38 and raises the upright bar w so that thedog 32 at its upper end enters the notch .e to lock the controller. At the same time the valve 34 is turned (through the connection of its leverarm 33 with the bar w) so as to break the vacuum of motor 36, which thereupon projects the piece t across the gap and withdraws the latch /t from the path of the device m. If the controller should not be in mid-position when the attendant imparts to the door e its first move-- ment to the left, the valve 28 would be shifted; but neither locking' nor latching would take place, because the upward movement of the bar f1.0 would be resisted by the stop device or disk 2 on the controller c. No damage would result, because the spring of the motor 26 fu rnishes a yielding connection.

An additional yielding connection could be provided, if desired. Thus in Fig. 9 a spiral compression-spring 39 is interposed between the horizontal arm of the rock-shaft 38 and a collar 40 on the upright bar w. The rockshaft arm can move loosely over the upright bar w and compresses the spring 39 if the motion of the upright bar w is resisted. A collar 41 is on the upright bar below the rockshaft arm. When the attendant wishes to start the car, he closes the door e. In so doing he shifts the valve 28 so as to reestablish a vacuum in the motor 26, whereupon the piece 25 is retracted, the dog 32 is removed from the notch e, (allowing the controller c to be tracted, (allowing the latch /1/ to place itself in the path of the device m.)

In Figs. 10 to 13 there is no stored motor on the car. The power to operate the llatch -is taken from thecontroller, and the power to operate the lock is transmitted from across the gap. The power transmitted is shown as taken from the door, 'although it could evidently be taken from a stored-power motor, as described with reference to p receding figures. In Figs. l0 to 13 the reciprocatory piece on the elevator-shaft (which is marked v43 and takes by the spring-pressed plate s of Figs. 1 to 6, and the position of thecontroller on the car has been changed in view of this new location of said reciprocatory piece in order to simplify the operating mechanism as much as possible; but modifications can be made in this mechanism to suit the position of the controller if it should be preferredto have it ina particular place on the car. Mechanism on the car for operating the lock and latch (either or both) by the aid of a stored-power motoron the car, as before described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9, is not necessarily restricted to the use of a stored-power motor on the elevator-shaft l also. Except that the reciprocatory piece 43 the place of the piece 25 ofFigs. 1 to 6) is carried IOO turned,) and at the same time the piece t is reis carried by the spring-pressed plate s (which is forced outward by the cam-bar p during the first part of the movement of the door c to the left) and that the stored-power motor 26 of Fig. 1, with its accessories, is omitted from Figs. 10 to 13, the mechanism on the elevator-shaft is the same in these figures as in Figs. 1 to 6. Its parts are given the same letters of reference. Thereciprocatory piece t, which acts from the car across the gap in cooperation with the piece j to withdraw the latch /t from the path of the device m, is connected with the'vertical arm of a rock-shaft 44, a horizontal arm of which underlies the upright bar 21. As in Fig. 7, this bar is raised by a spring and forced down by the cam 22 on the controller c when this comes to its mid-position. The spring is differently placed in Fig. 13, being indicated at 45. rlhe reciprocatory piece 24 on the car, which is acted upon from across the gap by the piece 43, is (as in Fig. 7) connected by a link 37 with the vertical arm of a rocker,.which is provided with a spring 42 and which has a horizontal arm connected with the lower end of the vertical bar w. The rocker in Figs. 10 to 13 is a'bcnt lever 46 in place of a rock-shaft. The link in Figs. 10 to 13 is made with a pin 47 itting in a tubular holein the end of the link and pressed out by a spring' 48. The function of this last is the same as that of the spring 39 of Fig. 9, which can be used instead of or in addition to the same. Assuming the car to have stopped at a landing', the attendant will have brought the controller c to midposition and in so doing will have depressed the bar 21, rocked the shaft 44, and projected the piece t, which, acting' across the gap, will in cooperation with therpiece 7' have withdrawn the latch /L from the path of the device m. The attendant then opens the door e, in the first movement of which the cam-bar p forces the spring-pressed plate s outward, so that the piece 43, carried by said plate, acts across the gap and (in cooperation with the piece 24) moves the link 37 and lever 46 and bar w so that the dog 32 enters the notch .e and locks the controller c. To start the car, the door w is closed, and at the last of its closing motion the cam portion of the bar j) passes under the plate .s and allows the same, and the piece 43 carried thereby, to move toward the wall of the elevator-shaft, and so permit the upright bar w on the car to fall and remove the dog 32 from the notch e. The attendant now turns the controller c to start the car, and in so doing' he removes the cam 22, which removal allows the upright bar 21 to rise and withdraw the piece z5, which has been holding back the latch t, so that this latter interposes itself in the path of the device m. Should the door happen to be open before the car arrives at the corresponding landing, the piece 43 will stand projected; but the coperating piece 24, being cam-shaped in its contact portion, Fig. 12, will ride over the piece 43. lf the controller should be in mid-position, the piece 24 will transmit motion through link 37, lever 46, and bar w to the. dog 32, so as to lock the controller. If it should not be in mid-position, the motion ofthe upright bar w would be resisted by the stop device o1' disk 2, and the car would move on until the piece 24 should pass the piece 43. The spring 48 or other yielding connection in the lock-operating mechanism would prevent damage. The spring 39 of Fig. 9 might be used instead of or in addition to the spring 43, or the piece 43 might be of spring metal stiff'enough to raise the dog 32 if unresisted and yielding enough to give way if the motion of the dog should be prevented by the stop device or disk 2.

The arrangement of Figs. 14 to 17 resembles that of Figs. 10 to 13 in dispensing with stored-power motors. Like it also it governs the lock-operating mechanism by the joint action of the door and the controller; but it differs therefrom in that in Figs. 10 to 13 the latch-operating mechanism is governed by the controller alone, whereas in Figs. 14 to 17 it is governed byA the joint action of the door and controller. ln this last respect it resembles the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 6. Referring to Figs. 14 to 17, the same mechanism is shown on the elevator-shaft as in Figs. 10 to 13. The pieces t and 24, which cooperate across the gap with the pieces 7' and 43, respectively, are likewise the same, as are also the lspring 45 for the piece t and the link 37, with its pin 47 and spring 48 for the piece 24. Moreover, this piece 24 is connected by a bent lever 46 with the lower end of an upright bar carrying the dog 32 for locking the controller by enteringl a notch The piece z5, however, instead of being connected with a separate upright bar is connected with the upright bar with which the piece 24 is connected. The connection is made, as shown, through a lever 49 with the link 37, which is connected, as before said, with the upright bar which carries the dog 32. With a wheel-controller c the disposition of the stop device or disk 2, notch s, and bar w might be as shown in any of the hereinbefore-described arrangements. In. Figs. 14 to 17 is shown a lever-controller 50, which might itself be used in place of the wheel c in any of the before-d escribed arrangements, with modifications in the immediately -associated parts sufiiciently indicated by Figs. 14 to 17 that is to say, the upright bar or bars may be mounted on the controller 50 and the coperating devices on the controller c can be fixed in appropriate relation thereto. Thus, as

shown, the stop device 51, which corresponds with the disk 2, is in the form of an arc supported by standards and is provided with the notch .e for receiving the dog 32 when the lever is in mid-position. The upright bar 52, which corresponds with the bar w, is movable verti- IOO cally in bearings' on the lever 50 and at its upper end carries the dog 32, ,while at its lower end it is connected with the bent lever 46 by resting upon the arc 53, which is mounted on the horizontal arm of the said bent lever 46. When the controller 50 is moved back and forth, the lower end of the upright bar 52 moves idly over the arc 53; but when this latter is raised and lowered the bar 52 partakes of these motions. Assuming that the car is at a landing and the controller in midposition for stopping, the elevator attendant opens the door e and in so doing (before the device m reaches the latch L) causes the cambar p to force outward the spring-plate s and piece 43 carried thereby. The piece 43 acts across the gap to press in the piece 24 and link 37, and thereby to rock the levers 46 and and 49 so as on the one hand to raise the bar 52 and engage the dog 32 in the notch z and on the other to project the piece t and withdraw the latch /t from the path of the device m. Before the attendant can start the car again he must close the door in order to allow the plate s and piece 24 to retire, and so permit the dog 32 to be removed from the notch e, while at the same time the piece tis retracted and permits the latch /z/ to place itself again in the path of the device m. If a door should accidentally be open, the piece 43 will be forced outward, and when the piece 24 comes in front of the piece 43 the controller 50 will loe locked if in mid-position or the spring 48 (or other yielding connection) will give way if the controller should be in other than its mid-position.

Referring to Fig. 18, the latch 54 moves in the plane of the doors movement instead of transversely thereto, as does the latch 7L, and the /reciprocatory pieces 55 and 56, which correspond with the pieces 7' and z5, respectively, of former figures, move parallel and not transversely to the doors movement, as do the pieces 7' and t. They move, however, transversely to the line of gap and not parallel thereto, as does the door e, because the line of gap where it passes the pieces 55 and 56 is at right angles to the said line where it passes between the door c and the car. AIn Fig. 18 means are indicated for using compressed air as stored power for actuating the motors ai and 26. The Huid-pressure of the compressed air may be used instead of or in addition to spring-power, as before described. With these modifications and additions the arrangement of Fig'. 18 is substantially that of Figs. l to 6, only certain parts shown in Fig'. 1 are not show-n in Fig. 18, but can obviously be used. Assuming the carto be at a landing, with the door fully closed andthe controller c in mid-position, the elevator attendant moves the door to the left. During the first part of its movement the arm 29 on the door shifts the valve 28 so as to break the vacuum of motor 26 ment of the door.

and to put the collapsing chamber thereof in communication through the pipe connection 57 with the cylinderl 58, which is kept full of compressed air by the pump 59. The collapsing chamber is infiated by the air, and the piece 25 is projected so that it acts across the gap to press back the rods 23, 18, and 16, and thereby to shift the valve 13 so as to break the vacuum of motor .fr and connect its collapsing chainber by the pipe connection 60 with the compressed-air cylinder 58. erated to raisel the upright bar w and lock the controller c by inserting the dog 32 int-o the notch e, while at the same time it rocks the lever 61, moves the link 620 to the right, rocks the shaft 62, and projects the piece 56, which presses back the piece 55 so as through the link 63 to rock the latch 54 and move it out of the path of the door. The operations of unlocking and latc'ning by the closure of the door will be sufficiently evident from what has been before said. If the car approach a landing when the door is not fully closed and when the piece 25 is consequently projected, the piece 24 will ride over the piece 25. .ff the controller is in mid-position, the piece 24 will bepressed back, so as to lock the controller c and withdraw the latch 54, (if this is not already withdrawn.) 1f the piece 56 should be projected when the car is approaching a landing, the cam shape of the piece 55 allows the roller at the end of piece 56 to ride over and pressback the piece 55.

In Figs. 19 and 20 the latch 64 engages an arm 65 in the door e and is carried byapiece 66, which rocks on a vertical axis. rlhe axis of the piece j' is horizontal. The latch 64, like the latch 71., moves transversely to the move- At 67 is the spring which normally retains the latch in the path of the arm 65. The piece t of former figures acts against the corresponding portion of the piece 66, (which may be cam-shaped,) and when piece t is projected it overcomes the pressure of the spring 67 and pushes the said portion toward the wall of the elevator-shaft.

Vhile a number of forms or modifications have been shown, the enumeration is not intended to be exhaustive; but further modifications can be made so longl as the substance of any one or more of the hereinafter-written claims is taken. In these claims the expression of an' element (in the singular) in any claim is not intended to exclude from said claim the use of two or more elements, and, conversely, the expression of elements (in the plural) in any claim is not intended to eX- clude therefrom the use of a single element, unless in each case there should also be present other words of plain restriction to a single element or to two or more elements, respectively. The claims are, of course, to be taken severally.

The term collapsing chamber is intended The motor is op- IOO IIO

` the walls of which is formed of a iiexible sheet;

but the movable wall of such chamber could be formed otherwise. Thus a cylinder with piston working therein is a known form of collapsing cham ber, the space below the piston collapsing or contracting when the piston moves inward.

1n a concurrent application filed February 6, 1905, claims are made to features herein set forth and not special to Figs. l to 9 and 18 nor common to them and to other figures.

I claim as my invention or discovery l. A system of safety devices, in which a lock, and a latch, are combined with two sets of cooperating pieces, whereof each set includes a rcciprocatory cam-shaped piece on one side of the gap and a coperating piece on the other side of the same and is governedin common with the other set of cooperating pieces by movable appliances manipulated in running the elevator, as in starting and stopping the car, or in permitting and preventing the entrance and exit of passengers, substantially as described.

2. A system of safety devices, in which a loclz and a latch are combined with lock-operating and latch-operating mechanism, which includes two horizontally-reciprocatory pieces, each movable transversely to the doors movement in cooperation with a piece on the other side of the gap and each operatively connected below the car-floor with the lower end of an upright vertically-movable bar, substantially as described.

3. A system of safety devices, in which a lock and a latch are combined with lock-operating' and latch-operating mechanism that includes two horizontally-reciprocatory pieces, each movable transversely to the doors movement in cooperation with a rcciprocatory piece on the other side of the gap and each operatively connected below the car-iioor with the end of a longitudinally-movable bar, said mechanism also including a rocker mounted under the car-floor with the axis of rocking parallel with the doors movement and connected with the end of a longitudinally-niovable bar, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car, a door, a lock, and a controller, of an upright verticallymovable bar on the car, a rcciprocatory piece mounted under the car-floor to move trans-V door-governedcooperating piece on the elevator-shaft, and a horizontally-reciprocatory piece under the car-iioor, which last-mentioned piece is governed by said controller and coperates with a latch-operating piece on the eley vater-shaft, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a door, a controller, a controller-governed latch, and a doorgoverned lock, of a cam-bar on the door, and a spring-pressed plate mounted on the elevator-shaft and bearing on said cam-bar, the pressure of said plate against the incline of said cam-bar tending' to close the door, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a rcciprocatory latch-operating piece located on one side of the gap and movable transversely to the doors movement, of a rock-shaft mounted on the other side of the gap parallel with the doors movement and connected with a horizontallyrcciprocatory piece operating across the gap to releasethe latch, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a rcciprocatory latch-operating piece located on one side of the gap and movable transversely to the doors movement, of a rock-shaft mounted on the other side of the gap parallel with the doors movement and connected with a horizontallyrcciprocatory piece operating across the gap to release the latch, and a loch-operating mechanism, which includes a door-governed reciprocatory piece movable parallel with the motions of said former pieces, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a rcciprocatory latch-operating piece located on one side of the gap and movable transversely to the doors movement, of a controller-governed rock-shaft mounted on the other side of the gap parallel with the doors movement and connected with a horizontally-reciprocatory piece operating across the gap to release the latcl1,substantially as described.

10. The combination with a rcciprocatory latch-operating piece located on one side of the gap and movable transversely of the doors movement,of a controller-governed rock-sh aft mounted on the other side of the gap parallel with the doors movement and connected with a horizontally-reciprocatory piece operating across the gap to release the latch, and a lockoperating mechanism, which includes a doorgoverned reciprocator y piece movable parallel with the motions of said former pieces, substantially as described.

1l. A system of safety devices in which a lock and a controller arranged to resist locking except when in mid-position'are combined with lock-operating mechanism which includes both a rcciprocatory cam-shaped piece operating across the gap and a yielding connection through which the locking motion is transmitted, substantially as described.

l2. A system of safety devices in which a lock and a controller arranged to resist lock- IOO ing eXcept when in mid-position are combined with lock operating mechanism which includes both a reciprocatory cam-shaped piece operating across the gap and a yielding connection through which the locking motion is transmitted, and also with a controller-governed latch, substantially as described.

13. A system of safety devices in which a lock and a controller arranged to resist locking except when -in mid-position are combined with a door-governed rock-shaft mounted on the other side of the gap parallel with the doors movement and connected with a horizontallyreciprocatory piece operating across the gap to release the'latch, and also with a controllergoverned latch, substantially as described.

14. A system of safety devices in which a latch is combined with controller-governed latch-operating mechanism which includes a stored-power motor, and also reciprocatory pieces located on opposite sides of vthe gap, substantially as described.

15. A system of safety devices in which a lock and a latch are combined with door-governed lock-operating and controller-governed latch-operating mechanism which includes reciprocatory pieces on opposite sides-of the gap and stored-power motors operatively connected with said lock and said latch for actuating both of them by stored power, substantially as described.' l

16. A system of safety devices in which a latch is combined with a' stored-power motor having a collapsing chamber, a communicating pipe connection, and a controller-governed valve in said pipe connection, substantially as described.

17. Asystem of safety devices in which a latch is combined with latch-operating mechanism which includes reciprocatory pieces on opposite sides of the gap, a stored-power motor having a collapsing chamber, a communicating pipe connection,\ and a controller-governed valve in said pipe connection, substantially as described.

18. A system of safety devices in which a lock and a latch are combined with controllergoverned latch-operating'and door-governed lock-operating mechanism which includes reciprocatory pieces on opposite sides of the gap, together with a stored-power motor, substantially as described.

19. A system of safety devices in which a lock and a latch are combined with operating mechanism which is governed as to both lock and latch by the joint action of the controller and the door and which includes a storedpower motor, substantiallyas described.

Q0. rlhe combination with a car, a door, a latch, a stored-power motor on the same side of the gap as said door, and latch-operating mechanism operatively connected with said motor and including reciprocatory pieces on opposite sides of said gap, substantially described.

21. The combination with a car, a door, a

latch, a door-governed piece acting across the gap, a stored-power motor on the other side of said gap, and latch-operating'mechanism operatively connected with said door-governed piece and said motor, substantially as described.

22. The combination with a car, a door, a latch, a stored-power motor on the door side of the gap, a second stored-power 'motor on the opposite side of the gap,and latch-operating mechanism operatively connected with both said motors, substantially as described.

23. The combination with safety devices, including means for preventing or permitting according to position the movement of an appliance which is manipulated in running the elevator, of operating mechanism which includes a stored-power motor in the form of a normally retracted spring, substantially as described.

211. The combination with a car, a door, and a latch, ofa door-governedactuating-piece operating transversely -to the line of gap, a coperating piece actuated thereby on the other side of the gap, and other latch-operating mechanism operatively connected With the last-mentioned piece, substantially as described.

25. The combination with a car, adoor,and a latch, of a controller provided with a cam, reciprocatory pieces cooperating across the gap transversely to the doors movement,and other latch-operating mechanism operatively connected with said cam and said pieces, substantially as described.

Q6. rlhe combination with a car, a door, a lock, and a latch, of controller-governed reciprocatory pieces cooperating across the gap transversely to the doors movement, and door-governed reciprocatory pieces lcoperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, substantially as described.

27. The combination with a car, a door, a lock, and a latch, of two sets of reciprocatory pieces, those of each set cooperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, and both sets being governed by the joint action of the door and the controller, substantially as described.

28.' The combination with a car, a door, a lock, and a latch, of two sets of reciprocatory pieces, those of each set cooperating across the gap transversly to the line thereof, and being governed one set by the controllerl and the other by the joint action of the door and the controller, substantially as described.

29. The combination with a car, a door, a locl, and a latch, of operating mechanism which includes a yielding' connection and also two sets of reciprocatory pieces, those of each set coperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, and both sets being governed by the joint action of the door and the controller, substantially as described.

30. The combination with a car, a door, a

ICO

lock, and a latch, of operating mechanism which includes two sets of reciprocatory pieces, those of each set cooperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, being governed one set by the controller and the other by the joint action of the door and the controller, and which also includes a yielding connection in the mechanism actuated by the last-mentioned set, substantially as described.

31. The combination with a car, a controller, a door, a lock, and a latch, of a stop and dog engaging device connected with said controller, and lock-operating and latch-operating mechanism which includes rockers under the car-floor, an upright bar connected at the bottom with said rockers and at the top with a dog for locking the controller, and two sets of reciprocatory pieces, those of each set cooperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, substantially as described.

32. The combination with a car, a controller, a door, a lock, and a latch, of a cam connected with said controller, a dog-engaging device also connected with said controller,and lock-operating and latch-operating mechanism, which includes rockers under the carfioor, two upright bars connected at their respective lower ends with said rockers, and two sets of reciprocatory pieces, the upper end of one of said bars carrying a dog, the upper end of the other bar engaging said cam, and the reciprocatory pieces of each of said sets cooperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, substantially as described.

83. The combination with a car, a controller, a door, a lock, and a latch, of a stop and dogI engaging device'connected with said controller, and lock-operating and latch-operating mechanism which includes a stored-power motor, rockers Linder the car-floor, an upright bar connected at the bottom with said rockers and at the top with a dog for locking the controller, and two sets of reciprocatory pieces, those of each set cooperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, substantially as described.

34. rlhe combination with a car, a controller, a door, a lock, and a latch, of a camconnected with said controller, a dog-engaging device also connected with said controller, and lock-operating and latch-operating mechanism which includes a stored-power motor, rockers under the car-floor, two upright bars connected'at their respective lower ends with said rockers, and two sets of reciprocatory pieces, the upper end of one of said bars carrying a dog, the upper end of the other bar engaging said cam, and the reciprocatory pieces of each of said sets cooperating across the gap transversely to the line thereof, substantially as described.

35. A system of safety devices in which a lock is combined with a lock-operating mechanism, which is governed by. the joint action of the door and controller, and which includes a stored-power motor and also reciprocating pieces located on opposite sides of the gap, substantially as described.

86. A system of safety devices which includes a stored-power motor having a collapsn ing chamber with one wall thereof formed of a ieXible sheet, and a cap over said sheet, and also having a bar or pin projecting through a hole in said cap, and a flange or plate of greater diameter than the hole in said cap, substantially as described.

B7. The combination with a car, a door, a latch, and a door-governed piece acting transversely to the line of gap, of two interconnected reciprocatory pieces movable transversly to the line of gap, one being actuated across the gap by said door-governed piece and the other acting across the gap to release said latch, substantially as described.

38. The combinationv with a car, a door, a latch, acontroller, a lock, and a door-governed piece acting transversely to the line of gap, of two reciprocatory pieces connected with said lock and also interconnected to move in opposite directions transversly to the line of gap, one being actuated across the gap by said door governed piece and the other acting across the gap to release said latch, substantially as described.

39. A system of safety devices for elevators, which is characterized by the combination with interconnecting mechanism, of the hinged reciprocatory piece 24, and the sliding reciprocatory piece t, both movable transversly to the line of gap, and the piece t movingl out when the piece 24 is moved in, substantially as described.

40. A system of safety devices for'elevators, which is characterized by the combination with interconnecting mechanism, of two parallel longitudinally-reciprocating rods or pins sliding in bearings, one moving outward to transmit pressure across the gap when the other is moved inward by pressure transmitted across the gap, substantially as described.

41. The combination with two reciprocatory pieces located on the same side of the gap and movable transversely to the line of gap, of a controller-governed mechanism mounted on the other side of the gap and including two horizontally-reciprocatory pieces cooperating across the gap with the first-mentioned pieces, substantially as described.

42. rlhe combination with a car, a door, a lock, a latch, and a controller, of a reciprocatory latch-releasing piece located on one side of the gap and movable transversely to the line of gap, a door-governed reciprocatory piece located on the same side of the gap and movable transversely to the line of gap, and a controller-governed mechanism mounted on the other side of the gap and connected with said lool; and including two horizontally-reciprocatory pieces cooperating across the gap IOC IOS

IIO

with the first-mentioned pieces, substantially as described.

43. The combination with a car, a door, a latch, a controller, and a door-governed piece acting transversely to lthe line of gap, of a controller-governed mechanism mounted on the car and connected with said lock and including' two reciprocatory pieces movable transversely to the line 'of gap, one being' ac- IO tuated across the gap by said door-governed l l l l l 

